X (letter)

X is the twenty-fourth letter of the English alphabet. Its name is pronounced like the prefix ex-.

Use in English

X, except when beginning a word (when it sounds like z, and is rare) combines the sound of k (kíng) and hissing s (síng): láx lazy sounds exactly like lácks hasn’t. Examples (the accents show pronunciation: see English phonemes): bóx, fáx, áxe, éx-, México, cóxswain, éxcellent, síx, sáx, táx, Réx, fóx, fóxy, tóxic, máximum, exámine, Máx, Báx, wáx, Róxy.

Some people prefer to pronounce it gz, at least in words beginning ex- (but not including the prefix éx- former): exáct, exámine, exàmple.

Before -io- it sounds like ksh: nóxious, ánxious, compléxion.

Often it is followed by a redundant c: excépt, éxcise, excîte, éxcellent although if followed by a back vowel (a, o, u) the c is pronounced k: éxcavate, excóriate, exhónerate (-xó-). Words with unstressed ex- can sound as if they begin éx- or íx-, according to the speaker.

But the x sound can also be written, before a front vowel, cc: áccident, áccent, áccess, accépt, Occidéntal, cóccyx.

X is of course itself a consonant cluster, and it begins the following accidental ones: xb, xcl, xl, xm, xt: óxbow, exclâim, áxle, Áxminster, extól.

Final nx is pronounced -ngks: lýnx, mínx, Sphínx, jínx. The pronounciation of ánxious is *ángshəss or *ánkshəss, while anxîety is pronounced *angzîety.

Initial x is rare - and Greek - and sounds like z: xylophone, Xénophon, xénophobe. This can be seen in the two differing x’s in Xërxês (*Zërxêez).

X also sounds like z in French plurals: tábleaux (*táblôz) pláteaux (*plátôz).

There is a silent French x in faux-pàs (*fô-pà).

• xx is purely commercial: Éxxon, Bób B. Sóxx (a respelling of bóbby sócks).